It’s early December and, if you’re like me, you still have a fair amount of shopping left to do.  As you wander the malls and stores, thinking of what would be the perfect gift for one of the people on your list, I challenge you to think what were the best gifts you ever received, and why.

A number of years back, when I was working at a trade association in NYC, I asked colleagues that question.

Bill, who is a twin, shared a birthday story. When he and his brother turned 16, his mother knew both her sons desperately wanted cars. Bill understood that a car would be out of the question because his family’s finances were dire.  He delighted in recounting his joy when his mother guided him and his brother to the garage where, parked on the garage floor, were two shiny model sports cars.  It didn’t matter that they weren’t real. He was touched that she  used her imagination to show that she knew his heart’s desire and that she understood and loved him.

My favorite gift was given when I was in Community Theater, doing Fiddler on the Roof at age 15. There was a young man named Ed in the cast who was a favorite among all the teenage girls.  We all had secret crushes on him, not because he was good looking or had a great singing voice, but because he was funny, thoughtful and kind to everyone.  One night, he asked me to come out to his car with him at the end of rehearsel.  He opened the trunk and pulled out a beautiful red pagoda music box. It wasn’t new – you could see it had been well-loved.

“This was my mother’s and she’s getting rid of her collection of music boxes.  This is my favorite, and I want to make sure someone who will appreciate it gets it.”

Ed, wherever you are, you gave me one of the greatest gifts ever. Only part of that gift was the Chinese music box that still holds a place on my dresser and in my heart. The most important gift was that you saw beyond the shy, overweight young girl with acne and braces to understand who I really was inside.

As I think back, I have received many wonderful, favorite gifts…the robe and the nightgown my sister made for me, the Tiffany lamp and the sheepskin mittens from my husband, drawings from my daughters and often, simple and random acts of kindness from friends. Often, they came from the heart or the person’s creativity, rather than from a store.

This year, before you peruse catalogs, surf the web, or meander the malls, I challenge you to think about the gifts that have meant the most to you over the years, and why they are so special. That may give you valuable insight into giving special gifts to the loved ones on your list.

If you have a story of a favorite gift you received, I would love to read about it! Please share it in the comments section.